Most insects are 100% edible as compared with 40% of a cow. Many insects are high in zinc, iron, calcium and protein. It is believed that eating insects could help enhance nutrition and reduce pollution, as previously mentioned. Here Isabelle Z., Food.news, reflects on the benefits of drinking cricket juice:

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“Many of us have eaten something we find unappetizing in the name of good health, but the idea of consuming insects takes the sentiment to a level lots of people are unwilling to go. Although it sounds like something out of a survivalist TV show, some scientists claim that insects are loaded with antioxidants and can provide some impressive health benefits.

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In fact, a quarter of our planet’s population eats insects daily, which amounts to around two billion people. As hard as the idea may be for us to swallow, the truth is that these little critters offer fiber, protein and vitamins – and now antioxidants may be added to the list.

However, you shouldn’t run outside with a net just yet. The study looked at edible insects and other invertebrates that are already available commercially for human consumption, and not all of them offer benefits, according to the scientists. In addition, they didn’t look at eating the insects whole. Instead, they removed inedible parts like stingers and wings and then ground them into two materials: the fat from the insects and a fat-free dust.

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They tested both substances for antioxidants and found that the fat-free dust of insects such as crickets, grasshoppers and silkworms had five times the antioxidants of fresh orange juice. These are all vegetarian bugs; carnivorous insects like black scorpions, black tarantulas, giant water bugs and giant cicadas had negligible antioxidant rankings. Meanwhile, grasshoppers, mealworms and black ants offer high levels of total polyphenols.

The scientists say that even if the dust were to be diluted by 88 percent in water, it would still offer roughly 75 percent of the antioxidants of orange juice. Cricket juice, any one?

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Lead author Mauro Serafini commented: “Edible insects are an excellent source of protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals, vitamins and fiber. But until now, nobody had compared them with classical functional foods such as olive oil or orange juice in terms of antioxidant activity.”

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Read More … Article Source: https://food.news/2019-07-25-scientists-claim-drinking-cricket-juice-halts-cancer.html

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